How to Apply to Engineering at Case Western Reserve University: More Than a Dozen BSE Majors in the Case School of Engineering, Admission to the University with Majors Declared in the Second Semester, and a Hands-On First-Year Course, with Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is in Cleveland, Ohio. Undergraduate engineering is offered by the Case School of Engineering. Based on CWRU’s official information, this guide covers fall 2027 entry for students at high schools in China, students at high schools in Canada (including British Columbia and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Undergraduate engineering majors

The school’s undergraduate page says it has more than a dozen bachelor’s programs. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) majors listed are:

• Aerospace, Biomedical, Chemical and Civil Engineering (civil offers structural, geotechnical, environmental, construction management or pre-architecture paths)
• Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics and General Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Polymer Science and Engineering

The school also offers BS degrees in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science and Data Science and Analytics and a BA in Computer Science; computer science has its own guide on this site. There is also a five-year Integrated BS/MS.

Accreditation (example): the 2026-27 Bulletin page for the Mechanical Engineering BSE says it is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, and the department also offers a double major in mechanical and aerospace engineering. We did not check every major; see each program’s Bulletin page.

2. Admission to the university, majors declared later

• Not admitted by major: the engineering undergraduate page says you are admitted to the university as a whole, so you can explore your interests and add a minor.
• Declare in the second semester: all students declare a major in their second semester, by 1 March for fall entrants; students who miss it face registration holds. The pages we read do not mention GPA thresholds or capacity limits for engineering majors; ask the school’s undergraduate office.
• First-year engineering course: since 2018, all first-year engineering students take ENGR 130, Foundations of Engineering and Programming: hands-on projects, teamwork, data analysis, MATLAB programming and prototyping in the think[box] makerspace. Guest talks and lab modules designed by each department introduce the disciplines, for example designing and testing a water filter (civil and environmental) or prototyping a heart-rate monitor (biomedical).
• Co-op: from the third year, students can complete one or two paid, full-time co-ops of seven months each (one semester and one summer).

3. Prerequisites and the first year

• Minimum high school courses (university-wide): English 4 years, math 3, science 3 (2 lab sciences), social studies 3 and foreign language 2. Admissions says that students interested in engineering or the sciences should take an additional year of math and lab science.
• Mechanical engineering math and science (example, 2026-27 Bulletin): Calculus I–III, differential equations, Physics I (mechanics) and II (electricity and magnetism), chemistry for engineers, ENGR 130, chemistry of materials, statics and strength of materials, circuits and instrumentation, and Impact of Engineering on Society. The sample plan starts with chemistry, Calculus I and Physics I in the first fall. Major courses total 61 credit hours. Other majors’ requirements are on their own Bulletin pages; we did not check each one.
• AP/IB credit for engineering courses: not checked for this guide; ask the Registrar.

4. Deadlines and application materials

• Early Action: 1 November; financial aid documents 15 November; decisions around 19 December; reply by 1 May.
• Early Decision I (binding): 1 November; aid documents 15 November; decisions around 5 December; enrol by 12 December.
• Early Decision II: 15 January; aid documents 22 January; decisions around 6 February; enrol within a week of admission.
• Regular Decision: 15 January; aid documents 1 February; decisions around 20 March; reply by 1 May.
• Spring entry: 15 November, then space-available.
• Materials: apply through the Common App or Coalition with Scoir with an essay and transcripts; engineering has no extra supplement (the Arts Supplement is required only for music and some arts applicants and optional for others).
• International applicants: same deadlines and process as U.S. students; non-English documents need English translations.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Gaokao: CWRU does not publish a Gaokao policy.
• Math and science: see section 3 for the university-wide minimums and the extra math and lab science recommended for engineering; CWRU does not say how Chinese courses map onto them.

6. Students at high schools in Canada (including BC)

• Credentials: CWRU publishes no requirements or grades for Canadian or BC courses such as Pre-Calculus 12, Physics 12 or Chemistry 12; ask admission@case.edu.
• English: two years at an English-medium school by graduation automatically waives the English test.

7. English requirements (non-native speakers)

• Duolingo 115; IELTS 7; PTE Academic 61; TOEFL 4.5 for tests on or after 21 January 2026, or 90 internet-based / 577 paper-based for earlier tests. You can self-report first and send official scores on enrolment.
• Automatic waivers: two years at an English-medium school by graduation, SAT EBRW 630+, or ACT English 26+.

8. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 residential cost (USD): tuition 71,410, housing 11,688, fees 696, matriculation fee 760, plus meals, books and personal costs, total 95,704. No engineering surcharge is listed (only nursing has an extra 1,450). 2027-28 costs are not yet published.
• Scholarships: undergraduates are automatically considered for several scholarships; competitive awards, including full tuition, need extra materials and an essay, with scholarship applications due by 15 February.
• Aid for international students: CWRU says financial aid is available to international students; non-U.S. residents file only the CSS Profile.

9. Transfer

• Deadlines: fall Early Plan 15 March (decisions from 1 April, enrol by 1 June); fall Regular Plan 1 July; spring 15 November.
• Materials: Common App or Coalition; the high school transcript is waived if you will have finished high school two years before entry and have an associate degree, or 45 credit hours by the time you apply.
• Credit: only courses with C or better may transfer, and at least 60 credit hours must be earned at CWRU. CWRU does not publish extra prerequisites for transferring into engineering; ask Admissions.
• 3/2 Engineering: three years at one of more than 50 partner liberal arts colleges, then two years of engineering at CWRU entering as a third-year student, earning two bachelor’s degrees. You need comparable math, science, humanities and social science courses and at least a 3.00 overall and in math and science; the fall deadline is 15 February.

Application checklist

Students in China:

• At least three years each of math and science; for engineering, add a year of math and lab science
• Apply by 1 November (EA or ED I) or 15 January (ED II or RD); decide whether to send the SAT or ACT
• IELTS 7, TOEFL 4.5 (new scale) or Duolingo 115; declare engineering in your second semester

Students in Canada (including BC):

• Same deadlines; two years at an English-medium school waives the English test
• BC course requirements are not published; ask Admissions

Transfer students:

• Apply by 15 March (Early Plan) or 1 July (Regular Plan) for fall, 15 November for spring; only C or better transfers

Sources: Case Western Reserve University, Engineering undergraduate programs; First-Year Experience; Mechanical Engineering, BSE (2026-27 Bulletin); Deadlines and requirements; International applicants; Tuition and costs; Transfer applicants. Information is for fall 2027 entry; check CWRU’s website for the latest.